Microsoft Sets Oslo Project for Model-Centric Applications

Microsoft has unveiled what could be an industry-changing effort in
application modeling and SOA with its "Oslo" project -- which could
significantly change the equation in the Windows application deployment
space. Part of Oslo involves delivering a unified platform integrating
services and modeling, Microsoft said. But instead of models describing
the application, models are the applications themselves. Oslo is a
codename for a set of technical investments that will be delivered in
the next major versions of Microsoft's platform products; these products
include Visual Studio, System Center, BizTalk Server, BizTalk Services,
and the .Net Framework. Beta releases of Oslo technology are due in
2008. With Oslo, Microsoft is making investments aligned with a vision
to simplify the effort needed to build, deploy, and manage composite
applications within and across organizations. The effort builds on
model-driven and service-enabled principles and extends SOA beyond
the firewall. Featured in Oslo are three fundamental components: a
modeling environment, a business process server, including a significant
evolution of BizTalk Server, and a new deployment model. BizTalk Server
"6," will continue to offer technology for distributed SOA and BPM and
include capabilities for composite applications. BizTalk Services "1,"
which provides BizTalk capabilities within the cloud, will feature
Web-based services for hosting composite applications that cross
organizational boundaries; advanced messaging, identity, and workflow
will be featured. Metadata repositories will be aligned across server
and tools products, including System Center "5," Visual Studio "10,"
and BizTalk Server "6." Each will utilize repository technology for
managing, versioning, and deployment models. Release dates of
Oslo-driven products have not been set. More Information